Heartbreak Coverup
by RosalindHawkins
Summary: AE. Priest Seth discovers that a heart can indeed be broken. Can he fix his broken heart, or will he always have to hide his pain? Sparkleshipping, Scandalshipping, one-sided Mizushipping, platonic Vaseshipping. Kisara x Mana. Atem x Seth. Seth x Kisara. Atem x Mana. Contains: Smut, yaoi, yuri, alcohol, angst. With a YGOTAS twist at the end!
1. Sparkle

**Author Note:** Sparkleshipping as requested by BreakfastForLife.

* * *

Mana waited patiently in the small dark closet for her lover. What was taking so long? Surely nothing should have detained her, unless someone tried to hurt her… Mana bristled at the possibility, starting to wish that she'd succeeded in persuading Kisara to learning how to fight. Mana had learned self-defense from Mahad, her dear teacher and mentor, so she was capable of protecting herself and Kisara, but she couldn't do that when they were apart.

Finally, the sound of slippered feet padding across the limestone floors in an even gait reached Mana's ears. She held her breath until Kisara opened the door and slipped in to join Mana. Illuminated by the light of a single candle, Kisara's face looked ghostly and grief-stricken.

"What's wrong? Did something happen?" Mana asked, pulling Kisara into a tight embrace as soon as she set her candle down. "Did someone hurt you?" Mana ground her teeth, bristling at the very idea. Kisara was more vulnerable than her, her coloring making her a target for all kinds of abuse: verbal, physical, sexual...

"No, no one hurt me," Kisara murmured, her voice soft and sad.

"Then what's wrong?" Mana pulled back and held Kisara in front of her, studying her tear-stained face and her watering eyes.

"Seth asked me to marry him." A fresh sob tore from Kisara's throat, and Mana embraced her again, even as fear filled her with dread. Had Kisara said yes? Maybe, in the heat of the moment, she'd been unable to deny him. Seth had an imposing personality, Mana knew. The sheer force of his emotions could have been too much for Kisara to resist.

They'd talked about the possibility of something like this happening, and what they would do if it did happen. They hadn't quite come to a conclusion with that, though. There was the benefit of having a husband to support them—and to keep anyone from suspecting the truth. But then they also wouldn't be fully honest with themselves, or their husbands, and they'd have to sneak around to see each other—they were already doing that now, but they would have to do it even more so. Mana thought the risk was worth it, but Kisara hated the idea of so much deception. Last week, Atem had called Mana to him for the purpose of dispelling the rumors that they were a couple, which was fine by Mana. She liked being Atem's friend, but she wanted nothing else with him—and he felt the same way, which brought her joy. He was her oldest friend, and one of her dearest, and now she knew that she didn't ever have to lose that. Kisara, apparently, wasn't so lucky with Seth. Mana held Kisara close as she cried, waiting for her to calm down enough to say more.

"I never wanted to hurt him. I didn't want to believe that he loved me, so I didn't listen… You told me, and I wouldn't listen, and now… I broke his heart." Kisara sobbed again, trembling as Mana kissed her forehead, her cheek, her lips, doing anything she could think of to console her.

"My darling, he knows you never meant to hurt him. You would never _try_ to hurt anyone, and anyone who has met you knows that," Mana assured, stroking Kisara's white hair.

"He told me he'd never love again," Kisara whispered, blinking the tears from her big blue eyes as she let her arms come to rest around Mana's waist.

"I'm sure he was just being dramatic." Mana was trying to make Kisara feel better, but it didn't seem to help, since Kisara started shaking her head.

"Nobody understands him the way I do. He doesn't show his feelings because they're all deep and strong," Kisara insisted tearfully. "He's like the river: the current shows where the waters are shallow, but where they are most powerful, the surface is smooth. I'm afraid… I'm afraid that he _won't_ move on. That I've hurt him too badly for him to recover. It's like I killed his heart." She burst into tears again, and Mana wrapped her arms around her lover once more. "But I couldn't say yes to him, I just couldn't," Kisara continued, nearly hysterical. "It wouldn't be honest. I just don't love him in that way… I love _you_."

It was the saddest "I love you" that had ever transpired between them. Mana had been hoping for a different time between them that night. She'd been hoping for something happier, something more… intimate, but making Kisara feel better about rejecting Seth was more important than her own physical needs. That was something she understood, and that many men, in her experience, didn't.

"Don't worry about Seth, dear," Mana assured as she and Kisara cuddled on the stone floor. "I'll speak to Atem about it. He can keep an eye on Seth. They're close, so he'll be able to help him through it."

"Thank you, love," Kisara murmured, nuzzling in against Mana's shoulder. "I know I can always count on you to make me feel better."

"Anytime, darling." They kissed bittersweetly. "Anything for you."


	2. Scandal

Seth drained his wineflask and reached for more, Atem watching him sadly. The high priest was already sufficiently drunk, but he had no intent to stop drinking. Atem drank with him, but he was careful to drink much less than the priest. Seth was upset, and Atem wanted to be clear-minded enough to stop him if he should try to do something foolish.

"How could she?" Seth growled bitterly before throwing his head back and taking another gulp of wine. That action alone was enough to throw him off-balance, and he fell back onto the cushions that filled the floor. Atem crawled over and took the wineflask from the priest's hand before anymore spilled out. Perhaps he should have taken the wine from him long ago.

"How _could_ she?" Seth repeated in a strangled whisper, his eyes watering. His mood was being directed by the capricious current of the river of wine he'd consumed, and Atem's heart ached for his cousin. He'd never seen Seth drunk, never seen _anyone_ drink this much in one sitting. Even after he'd gotten sick an hour ago, he'd kept drinking. He squeezed his sapphire eyes shut as if that could keep him from acknowledging the tears that his eyes now shed, as if that could keep him from acknowledging the pain he felt.

"I'm sorry." It was all Atem could think to say that wouldn't throw Seth into another rage or another fit of tears. He'd tried talking sense to him, and it had accomplished nothing. Seth just needed time to feel—which was something he'd never allowed himself before, and as such, there was too much pent up within him that now spilled out.

"I bet she planned it all along," Seth muttered angrily, eyes still closed.

"You know that's not true," Atem murmured calmly, shifting himself so that he could hold Seth's head in his lap and stroke his hair. Seth wouldn't remember this in the morning, so Atem was feeling a bit bold. "Kisara's incapable of malice."

"Don't defend her," Seth snarled, blinking more tears from his eyes. "Not when she… she…"

"She broke your heart." Atem whispered the awful truth as he lifted the corner of his own tunic to dry Seth's tears, then caressed the tear-stained cheeks with his gentle hands. Seeing Seth like this was breaking _Atem's_ heart, and he wished that he had the power to console the priest. He hoped that he could tell Mana that Seth was getting over it, but it seemed like his cousin needed more time. And a bit more wine, though not tonight. He'd already drunk far too much, and Atem had let him, out of pity. That made this his fault.

"All women are capable of it," Seth spat angrily. "They're all bitches."

"And you're drunk," Atem said evenly, ignoring Seth's last comment. "You're miserable, exhausted, and extraordinarily drunk. I think it's time I got you to bed." He sighed wistfully, picturing Seth naked in his bed, the way he wanted him. That wouldn't be happening tonight, though, not with Seth so far from his right mind. It might not happen ever, but if it _was_ to happen, it wouldn't be under these circumstances.

"I'm fine here," Seth grumbled, reaching for the flask again, but Atem snatched it and tossed it across the room out of his reach. "Hey!"

"You do not need to drink anything more tonight," he said sternly. "You're already going to be wretchedly sick tomorrow, and I don't think you want to make yourself sick again tonight." He stroked Seth's flushed cheeks with his thumbs, leaning over his head until their faces were close, upside down though they were.

"I don't care," Seth muttered, his eyes watering again.

"Yes you do," Atem rebuffed effortlessly. "And I care about _you_ , so I'm not going to let you drink yourself to an early grave."

Seth sighed, feeling the ache in his chest more deeply than before—if that was possible. Even if he was sober, he wouldn't be able to recall the last time someone had so openly expressed any kind of affection for him. With his friends, it was an unspoken premise implied by their loyalty to each other and their pharaoh, so there was no need to say it aloud. "You do?"

"Of _course_ I do," the young pharaoh murmured, his eyelids drooping as his lips brushed against Seth's without thinking. "I have always cared for you, Seth. I always will."

Seth shivered from the soft kiss. What surprised him was that he found it to be so pleasant. He tilted his head to repeat the sensation, and their lips met more solidly this time, but only for a few moments.

"You need to sleep." Atem shifted Seth's head out of his lap, and struggled through the process of getting Seth to first sit up, then stand. "I don't think I can get you back to your own room. Would you mind staying here with me tonight?"

"No, I wouldn't mind," Seth muttered, leaning heavily against the pharaoh.

Both of them stripped out of their formal wear to the barest of their garments—well, Atem stripped both of them down—and then climbed into Atem's large bed. Well, Seth collapsed and was helped the rest of the way in by his cousin so that they could finally sleep for what remained of the night.

* * *

"I told you that you'd drunk too much," Atem laughed, watching with amusement as the high priest clutched a pillow to his head and grumbled an unintelligible response. Atem gazed down at his cousin in pity, then reached over and pat the pillow that rested over Seth's head. "Take the day to rest. You'll be no good to any of your students, or to me, in the state you're in. I'll send someone to attend to you. You are welcome to stay here."

Atem's tender words were not lost on the hungover brunette, but he wasn't able to express his gratitude until the evening when he saw him again. Before then, though, Seth took the opportunity to bathe and dress in fresh clothes.

He finally left his state of hiding that evening to join his colleagues at dinner, which proved to be very healthy for him. The atmosphere was jovial, positive, supportive, mostly because none but of them but Atem knew what had happened between Seth and Kisara the night before. For an hour or two he was able to pretend that he was alright. Or maybe, for that brief period of time, he actually _was_ alright.

Mahad teased him about his inability to hold his liquor while Shada reprimanded him for drinking as heavily as he had. He could take the friendly mockery and the fatherly admonishes from his friends, though. He was the youngest among the bearers of the Millennium Items, save the pharaoh himself, and he could stand the playful banter because he knew they meant no harm. When there was a moment of laughter between his elders, Isis quietly offered him her new hangover remedy that she'd been working on, for which Seth offered his gratitude. Isis's herbal concoctions tended to be quite effective, so he trusted her.

They all continued to joke and laugh for the remainder of dinner, and when it was over, Atem called Seth aside for a private discussion. They walked out to the balcony, Atem waiting for the others to be fully evacuated from the room behind them before he spoke. Seth noticed his discretion and was grateful for it.

"How are you holding up?" the pharaoh asked softly, leaning against the banister.

"I've… been better. I try not to think about it." Seth answered slowly and honestly, knowing better than to try and fool Atem with a claim that he was alright.

"I meant, how are you holding up after last night's binge?" Atem glanced up at Seth with a grin as the priest chuckled, his upright, rigid posture starting to relax a bit.

"I've had better days and never a hangover worse than this one," Seth answered with a faint smile. "Thank you for your generosity in allowing me the day to recover. You were right: I did drink far too much."

"That's alright; I was the same way when my father died," Atem replied softly, and for a moment, they both stood in silent recollection of the late pharaoh—and his brother. Seth still couldn't forgive his own father for what he'd done, so he quickly pushed his memories of Aknadin out of his mind. He couldn't deal with that right now.

"I don't think I can take much more betrayal." The words slipped out of him as he stared up at the stars.

"I beg your pardon?" He didn't understand where that comment had come from.

"I was just thinking about Kisara and… Aknadin," Seth explained, refusing to meet his pharaoh's amethyst gaze. He'd been deeply wounded twice now, experienced incredible pain at the hands of two people he'd trusted and deeply cared for. He didn't think he could survive being stabbed in the back a third time.

"Seth, look at me," Atem ordered sharply as he straightened up. Of course Seth obeyed instantly, turning his head to look down at his monarch. "You will not be betrayed by any member of my court or by me. Do not let your fear stop you from trusting me or anyone that I trust. Do we have an understanding?"

"Yes, Pharaoh," Seth answered promptly.

"Do you mean that?" Atem queried, reaching out to hold Seth's hand in his own.

"I do." They shared a moment where their eyes were drawn irrepressibly together, both pairs of eyes sparkling brightly in the moonlight.

"Come." It was all Atem said as he tugged Seth along by the hand and silently led him to his bedchambers. When they arrived, he turned to his priest and said, "One last drink before we retire for the night. What do you say?"

"One won't hurt, as long as it's _only_ one."

Atem laughed as he handed Seth a drink and held up his own.

"To life." The toast was simple, and they both downed their drinks in one go, since Atem had been purposefully stingy with the alcohol. They put the glasses down, and Atem took Seth's hands in his own, surprising the blue-eyed priest and making him look down at his cousin in confusion.

"Do you remember much of last night?" He spoke softly, an earnest look in his large eyes.

"What do you mean?"

"Do you remember that we kissed?" The words were calm and soft, something cool and soothing in his tone, like silk or water. Seth blinked at him in surprise and dug down into his memories.

"I-I'm not sure," Seth answered hesitantly.

"May I remind you?"

Seth hesitated, taking a moment to be sure he knew what he wanted.

"You may."

They kissed softly at first. If Seth was honest with himself, he just wanted to forget his pain, and Atem was the first one to offer. He hadn't had any intimacy since Kisara had reentered his life, moved to celibacy by his love for her and his willingness to wait. Now, he had nothing and no one to wait for.

That wasn't to say that he didn't care about Atem, or that he couldn't see that Atem cared about him. It was just too soon for him to love again, and Atem seemed to understand that. Seth pulled back from the kiss, looking at Atem with uncertainty.

"You don't have to do anything you don't want to," the young pharaoh murmured as he caressed Seth's cheek. "And if you don't stay tonight, the offer is always open."

Seth didn't have an answer for him. He was too filled with doubt and hesitation to know what to say, or to say anything at all. But he did kiss him again, and one thing led to another until they were in bed and Atem was finished undressing them both. He could see the fear in Seth's eyes, how unwilling he was to be hurt again and how much he burned for intimacy.

"Is this really what you want?" he asked softly, running a hand through the priest's chestnut locks. He liked the way Seth looked when he was just himself, no ceremonial robes or any artificial adornment to his natural beauty.

"I think so," Seth breathed out. "At least, I know I trust you."

"Good." One more kiss, this one deeper as Atem wrapped his fingers around Seth's member, eliciting a groan from him. That was perhaps Seth's last lucid moment for the rest of the night.


	3. Mizu

Four days after Seth's heart was broken, he still wasn't doing any better. He would forget the pain for a little while—when he was at dinner, when he was with his students, when he was with Atem—but at any moment when he was entirely alone, the shame, the anger, the disappointment would all come crashing over him in a wave of emotion that he didn't know how to handle.

He'd spent two more nights with Atem since then. Those nights would help for a bit, but his heart wasn't in it, not right now. Thank Ra that Atem seemed to understand and respect Seth's current state. For his cousin, he was a pair of open arms with an open heart. Whatever decision he made, whether to stay or leave, to love or not, he would understand and accept it. He genuinely cared about Seth and wanted to see him feeling better.

He was trying to find a way to cope on his own that didn't depend on other people. Meditation had failed miserably; it only made him focus on his anguish and loss even more until his pain was so intense he couldn't breathe. He'd tried going for long walks around the palace grounds, and that seemed to help. Alcohol was always a viable option, but he didn't want to spend the rest of his life in a blur of inebriation and alcohol poisoning. Besides, it would displease Atem if he were to be so careless with his health, and he cared too much about his pharaoh to willfully displease him.

As Seth strolled along the courtyards and hallways and balconies of the palace in the cool evening air, he was trying to find within himself a way to stop loving Kisara. He sighed heavily. Even her name brought him more pain. Would this ache ever go away?

* * *

Kisara had decided to go for a walk, wanting some fresh air now that it was evening and the temperature was more comfortable. She'd started to feel safe in the palace, knowing that its inhabitants were under strict orders not to harm her. She was meeting Mana again tonight, but she had a little time before then.

A hand seized her by the arm and slammed her into the wall, taking her by surprise and knocking the air from her lungs. She gasped as she looked up into the face of a servant she couldn't recognize. He looked angry, and she suddenly wished that she'd accepted Mana's offer to teach her self-defense tactics.

"It's a bad omen having you around," he growled, his voice low and scratchy. He pulled her away from the wall and started dragging her away at a brisk pace. "I'm doing us all a favor by getting rid of you."

Kisara struggled against him as she stumbled along, but he was far too strong for her to resist. She decided to risk angering him and screamed for help. He began to curse as he turned on her and swung his fist towards her face. She cried out as the hard blow made her lose her balance and fall to the floor, tears springing to her eyes with the pain.

"I should just kill you here and now," the superstitious bully muttered as he drew a knife and advanced towards his victim, looking furious. Kisara cowered on the floor, terrified. She'd never see Mana again, never get to apologize to Seth, never—

"I'd like to see you try."

Kisara gasped and lifted her head, looking between locks of her long hair at the one who'd spoken. Seth, her savior. In a matter of moments, he'd easily disarmed and restrained the assailant, kicking the knife away as a few of the palace guards entered the scene. When they were close enough, Seth shoved the criminal towards them, happy to no longer be responsible for the man who'd caused him personal offense.

"Imprison him for the night, then we'll let the pharaoh decide his fate." With the way Seth was glaring at the servant, he looked like he would prefer to mete out his own punishment. He had more self-control than that, though. As Seth turned towards Kisara, she dropped her gaze and shifted her position on the floor so that she was bowing deeply to him. She couldn't help that she was trembling and had been shaken by the incident, so she couldn't help that when Seth tapped her shoulder, she flinched. She lifted her eyes to see his hand before her, palm upturned in a gesture of aid. She placed her shivering hand in his steady one and let him help her to her feet. They were alone now. The guards and her attacker were gone. Their eyes met.

Kisara had hoped to see the old warmth and kindness she'd become so accustomed to seeing in Seth's features, but his eyes only held ice. Even so, his warm hand gave hers a squeeze before releasing it entirely.

"You should take better care of yourself," was all he said before stiffly turning and walking away. Kisara herself was frozen for a few moments before she recovered her voice and called out, "Seth, I—Thank you." He stilled. "Thank you for saving me."

"I only did what anyone would do." He was only several feet away, yet the bitterness in his voice seemed to create a distance of many miles between them.

"I'm sorry, Seth," she said quickly, wanting to say what she needed to say before he left. "I never wanted to hurt you—"

"Doesn't matter," he snapped, interrupting her harshly. "The damage is done."

"Could we ever—" Kisara began hopefully, desperately, wanting to reforge her friendship with him.

"No." He knew what she was going to say. It was obvious. He still hadn't turned to face her, so she'd been speaking to his back as they spoke. Now, he continued to walk away, leaving behind a silent, distressed Kisara who fled to the comfort of Mana's arms, wherever her lover happened to be. Her face hurt horribly and was already starting to swell, and it would be best to treat it right away.

As Seth walked away, the pain in his chest only increased. It hadn't been absent for a single moment since he'd been rejected, and he was starting to think that he'd never be without it. He was doing his best not to think at all, but he couldn't stop himself from feeling, no matter how much he wished he could.

A few minutes later, one of the palace guards was rushing to the High Priest's side. He'd collapsed, dizzy, nauseous, unable to breathe, his chest pain unbearable. They rushed him to the palace physician immediately, rightfully sensing that his life was in danger.


	4. Vase

Atem held Seth's hand to his lips as he watched over his cousin's sleeping form. A servant had been dispatched to find him as soon as the brunette had been admitted into the doctor's care, and Atem had been quick to go to him. The pharaoh was going to spend the night by Seth's side whether it was necessary or not. He couldn't bear to leave him alone.

The physician had been unable to discern what had caused his symptoms, but he had been able to give the priest something for the pain. He'd been tempted to sedate him, but with his patient's breathing as difficult and shallow as it was, he had decided against it. Since no physical cause could be discerned, Atem had summoned Isis to see if she could be of assistance.

Isis had determined that he was not plagued by evil spirits and that he had not been attacked or poisoned. She did, however, discover Seth's secret grief.

"Poor man," she'd murmured, eyes filled with pity as she watched the miserable proposal play out in her mind's eye. "I don't think there's anything we can do for him but be here when he wakes up."

"But what's wrong with him?" Atem had demanded, worried for his friend, his cousin, his beloved.

"I think he's simply suffering from a broken heart," Isis had answered simply. "It's happened before. Once in a blue moon, someone will keel over with an ache in their chest and shallow breathing and no apparent cause, always within a few days after having lost a loved one in some way."

Now, as Atem sat alone at Seth's bedside, he thought over Isis' words. Was there really no way that they could help? Was mending his broken heart even possible, or was he too far gone?

"My pharaoh," a female voice called softly from the doorway, making the monarch lift his head and smile.

"Mana," he greeted softly. "Please, join me."

She entered and sat beside him, her eyes resting on Seth's sleeping form with a look of pity, guilt, and regret. "Kisara wanted to come see him, but I told her that she might upset him further."

"I wish that things could have worked out between them," Atem sighed, looking disappointed as he contemplated the potential they'd had. "I think everyone was expecting them to marry any day now."

"She never meant to lead him on," Mana said quickly, coming to her lover's defense.

"I know. She would never mean to hurt anybody." Atem's eyes watered as he considered the grief that was suffocating Seth from the inside. "It was such a shock to him when she said no. I don't think he'd even considered that outcome as a possibility."

"Is… that why he's here?" Mana asked hesitantly. "The shock, I mean?"

"It seems that way." Atem hated feeling so helpless, but he was glad for Mana's company. She was like a little sister to him.

"Oh." She sounded surprised. "I thought he must have gotten hurt in the fight."

"What fight?"

Mana quickly explained what Kisara had told her: the white-haired woman had been attacked by a suspicious servant who felt it would be better to remove her, but when Kisara screamed, Seth had come to her aid and fought with the man briefly before besting him and handing him over to the palace guards.

"He wasn't very kind to her afterward, though," Mana added with a touch of anger. "She tried to apologize to him, but he wouldn't accept it. She wanted to be his friend again, but he wouldn't listen to her."

"He's in _pain_ because of her," Atem protested, starting to get angry himself. He turned on her as he glared at her with tear-filled eyes. "He might even _die_ because of her."

"She didn't know this would happen!" Mana protested, raising her voice in indignation. "It's not fair of you to blame her when she was only doing what she thought was best!"

"How was _this_ best?"

"Her only other option was to lie to him! Do you really think that would have caused him any less pain?"

The glared at each other, both angry and hurt on their beloveds' behalfs. Mana's stiff shoulders sagged, and Atem's glare softened. He released Seth's hand to put his arms around Mana, who embraced him in return. They both cried, unable to restrain their emotions any longer.

"I love Seth," Atem whispered as he blinked away tears. "I hate to see him in such pain."

"I love Kisara," Mana replied with a sniffle. "I hate to see her feeling so guilty. I told her from the beginning that if Seth ever asked for her hand, she should say yes. I told her that it would provide her with security and protect our secret. She never wanted to, though. She said it would be dishonest, and that she would be doing injustice to both of them if she were to lie like that."

They held each other in silence for a little while longer before they let the embrace end. Atem turned back to Seth, making sure that he was still asleep and still alive.

"We could never really be together," Atem whispered against Seth's palm, holding that dear hand close to his face as he sat vigil with Mana. "I need an heir, after all, and the people of Egypt would probably riot against me if I tried to marry him."

"There might be a way for us to resolve all of this and still be with the ones we love."

Atem glanced over at the magician's apprentice curiously as he wiped the tears from his cheeks. "How so?"

"You and I could marry, and Seth and Kisara could marry. Then you would both have heirs and a solid public front that would protect us. Because we would all know the truth, you and Seth could still be together, as would Kisara and I. That way, you are ensured a successor and Seth still marries Kisara, even if it's not the kind of marriage he was hoping for."

Atem blinked at her in shock for a few moments, trying to process all of the possible ramifications of such an arrangement.

"I could be happy as your wife," Mana added, afraid that he thought she'd lost her mind. "Even though I've always thought of you as my brother."

The pharaoh's shock eased into a smile and he placed a soft kiss on the top of her head. "And I've always thought of you as a sister. If such a thing were to happen, it would not happen now. He needs time to recover, and I think Kisara does too. I don't know if he'd agree to such a thing. I don't know if he'd agree to such a tainted version of what he'd been dreaming of for so long."

"How long did he love her?" Mana asked out of curiosity.

"Since the day they met when they were mere youths." Atem sighed and fiddled with his hair nervously. "I could never force either of them to agree to the arrangement. I may have the power to do so, but I'm unwilling to exercise it over either of them. They would both have to want it."

"That's fair," Mana agreed. She rubbed her eyes, which were red from her tears, and rested her head on Atem's shoulder.

"You should return to your quarters and sleep," he advised gently.

"As should you," she murmured back, her eyes already closed as she started to drift off. Atem released Seth's hand again and nudged Mana into his arms. He would carry her to her own room then return to watch over Seth.


	5. Orgy

Atem didn't mean to fall asleep in Mana's room. It had happened on its own, because he himself was also exhausted.

The next time Seth awoke, he was alone, and he felt the pain intensify all over again. Had the herbs worn off so soon? Where was the physician? He needed more medicine. He couldn't sleep like this. He tried to sit up, but grunted in pain and fell back onto his cot, unable to rise. He hated feeling this helpless.

"Seth?"

He stiffened when he heard that sweet, gentle voice he once cherished so much. He covered his face with his arm so that he wouldn't have to look into Kisara's eyes as she sat up, her face smudged with dust and tears. How long had she been crying on the floor by his bed?

"Do you need something?" she asked hesitantly, afraid of being sent away again.

"Medicine," he rasped, and she stood immediately. Her knees were caked with dust and sand, marked with lines from sitting on the floor for so long.

"I'll fetch the doctor," she assured and sprinted off, leaving Seth to grit his teeth and bear the pain until she returned. It didn't take her very long at all to rouse the doctor, and in a matter of minutes she was at his side again. "He'll be here in a few minutes," she murmured, kneeling again by his bed. "Is there anything else I can do for you? I'll do anything, anything at all," she pleaded, her eyes filling with fresh tears. "Please, Seth, let me make amends to you somehow. I'll do anything it takes to make you forgive me."

He shifted his arm a little and considered her bruised, dirty face. Her remorse seemed genuine enough, though it didn't make much difference.

"Not even you can change the past," he muttered before closing his eyes. Kisara's face fell, and she started to cry again, hiding her weeping with her hands.

"I love you, Seth, just not like that," she whispered, making Seth's heart sting afresh.

"Get out." He choked on the words, but their meaning was clear. She needed to leave before he lost himself to the grief and pain entirely. She complied, leaving him with the tears he was too ashamed to shed in front of her.

Mere moments later, the doctor entered with the pain-numbing medicines Seth craved. The medicine would take a little while to become effective, but it would start working soon, the physician assured before he left Seth alone so that his patient could sleep.

Hadn't Atem said he would stay here all night? What had happened to his promise? Seth sighed, wondering if this was really what his life was meant to be: professional success coupled with nonstop personal pain? Atem had made a promise, then broken it, and in doing so, broke another promise.

He'd promised that he would never hurt Seth, but his absence only increased his cousin's pain. He couldn't breathe, even as he tried to gasp for air. Now he was shedding tears of pain as he struggled with himself.

Was it really worthwhile to fight it, though? Wasn't it better not to live than to live in agony? A dismal thought, but a somewhat comforting one since he had no ability to stop himself from blacking out due to a lack of oxygen.

Kisara had left the room, true, but she was only crouching just outside the doorway. She still owed him something, and she wouldn't rest until her debt was repaid. The doctor left, but she remained, listening as best the could. She listened to the panting, the gasping, with a growing sense of dread. Then suddenly, all sound of breathing stopped.

Filled with panic, she jumped to her feet and ran back to him. He'd stopped breathing, his eyes were closed, his lips were blue, but he still had a pulse. She immediately began to resuscitate him, breathing into him and pushing on his lungs alternatingly until he suddenly gasped, his eyes flying open as he began to breathe on his own once more. Kisara breathed a sigh of relief and sat back on her heels.

"Thank the gods," she murmured, pushing her hair behind her ear. "I was afraid that you'd..." She couldn't say the terrible words, but she didn't need to.

"No, I'm still here," he muttered, sounding annoyed. Kisara dropped her gaze to her hands.

"It's a good thing I was just outside the room," she murmured, not daring to look up at Seth, who rolled onto his side with his back to her so that she couldn't see how disappointed he was that he'd been saved. The painkillers were finally starting to kick in, making the ache recede enough for him to fall asleep.

* * *

Atem woke up in Mana's room feeling disoriented. Why was he here? After a moment, the events of last night returned to his mind, and he groaned in frustration. He'd promised he wouldn't leave. He needed to get back to Seth, now.

When he arrived at the infirmary, he found Kisara kneeling at Seth's bedside, looking half asleep herself. Atem walked up and lay his hand on her shoulder. She started and looked up at him in surprise. Atem winced when he saw the her bruised face, and held out his hand to her, helping her to stand on wobbly legs.

"You should go rest," he said gently. "Thank you for watching him." She looked like she wanted to say something, but she kept her mouth shut and nodded in obedience.

"Yes, my pharaoh," she murmured, bowing once before she left. Atem sat on the edge of Seth's bed, and immediately the priest in question rolled over to face his cousin, looking upset.

"You promised you would be here," he muttered accusatorily, looking hurt.

"I know, I know," Atem murmured, reaching down to stroke Seth's hair comfortingly. "I'm sorry."

"You promised," Seth repeated angrily.

"I know, I'm sorry," Atem continued to repeat as he leaned down over Seth and pressed their foreheads together, looking deep into his eyes. "I left to take Mana to her room and I fell asleep. I'm sorry." The explanation seemed satisfactory, for now at least.

"So what now?" Seth asked quietly, his anger replaced with despair. "Am I supposed to continue living as if everything is alright?"

Atem took a deep breath and said, "Mana has a plan that might help remedy things. But we can't do anything about it until you're well again."

* * *

"Atem explained the plan to Seth, and when he recovered, they got married as planned. And then they all got drunk and had an orgy. The end!" the cybernetic ghost of Christmas future from the past declared, as if that answered all of Kaiba's questions.

"That's bull," Kaiba snapped, glowering at the robot. "Come on, Mokuba, let's get out of here. He's useless." He turned on his heel and started striding away as his little brother lugged his briefcase and followed after him.

"Seto, what's an orgy?"

"Shut up Mokuba."


End file.
